Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-11-17


Spies ear. But the latter either did not hear
him, or else was too much occupied with
thoughts to pay attention. Eugel
down at the crowd and then turning
10 Deputy Peters, who guarded him, smiled
gratefully toward him and whispered some
thing to the officer that seemed to affect him
1t looked at first as II Engel was about to
salute his guard with a kiss, but he evidently
himself with some word Of peace.
Parson face never moved as the moose
dropped over his head, but the same terrible
fixed look was on his face.
no sPEEoHRs
And now the people were expecting that
the speeches for which the four doomed
ones craved twenty minutes each this morn
ing would be delivered. but TO everyone's
surprise. the officers who had adjusted the
moose proceeded to ht on the white cap
without delay. II was first placed on Spies
head. completely hiding his head and face.
just before the cap was pulled over Fischer's
head, Deputy Spears turned mis- eyes up to
meet those Of the tall young anarchist
TtStutI sfuiltu uON Oa LIZ kuAho tAoo 40
pleasantly as Engei did on his. and he
seemed to be whispering some words OF for
.giveness, but it may have been otherwise,
as not even the faintest echo reached
the men In the corridor below.
Engel and Parsons soon donned their white
caps after this, and now the four men stood
anon the scaffold clad from top to toe in
pure white. All was ready now for the sig
nal to let the drop fall In the little box at
the back of the stage and fastened to the
wall the invisible executioner stood with ak
poised, ready to cut tho cord That neld them
between earth and heaven. The men had
not noticed this. but they KIN ~ the end was
near. For Al instant there was a dead sill
ence, and then a mournful, solemn voice
sounded from behind the first right hand
mask and cut the air like q wall OF sorrow
and of warning Spies was speaking from
behind his shroud. The words seemed TO
drop into the cold, silent air like pellets of
fire
THEIR LAST WORDS.
Here is what he said: sit is not meet that
/ should speak here, where my silence is
more terrible than my u~Jterances.p Then
q deeper, stronger voice came out with O
muffied MYSTERIOUS cadence from behind the
white pail that hid the face of Fischer. He
only spoke eight words: sThis Is the hap
pest moment OF my life" But the next
voice that caught up the refrain was a differ
emit one. 1t was firm, and the melancholy
wall was not In it It was harsh, loud, ex-
ultant 9Hurrah for an:rchy. hurrah." were
the last words and the last cheer of George
Engel. But now the weird and ghastly
scene was brought to q climax, Par
sons alone remained to speak. Out from
behind his mask there was a more dreary,
reproachful tone in it than even in Spies
MAY l be allowed to speak? Oh, men Of
America he cried, MAY / be allowed the
privilege of speech even at the last momentY
Hearken to the voice of the people There
was a sudden pause. Parsons never spoke a
word more. A sharp, breaking noise, "a
crash, q sickening, cracking sound, and
Spies, Parsons, Fischer and Engel were no
more. When the pdlse beats of all became
im~percepdble, which was about 1910
O'Clock, the physicians sat down and the
bodies swung back and forth, while the depu-
ties stood above them. There was a con-
tlnual shifting of seats after the physicians
left the bodies and nearly all who could get
away wanted to be allowed to do so. The
sheriff opened a door at the west side
Of the building and a great many
of the spectators left At 1920 Spies
body was cut down INT it was found
that his neck was not broken. Fishers
neck was not brokea, but Engefs was,
thongh the spinal cord was not severed
Parsons was strangled, the shock of the fall
alone c~onspiring to render him insensible
be bodies of the anarchi SITS were removed
from the jail this afternoon There was no
demonstration OF any sort The bodies of
Lingg and Engel were taken to an under
takers at 1856 Milwaukee venue They
will be delivered TO Mrs. Engel when they
are prepared for burial The bodies of
Spies, Parsons and Fisher were taken to an
other undertaking establishment, 596
Milwaukee avenue, and afterward de-
liyered to their friends The bodies will
probably remain at tho undertakers until re-
moved to be buried next Sunday. The de-
tails for the latter ceremony are not yet de-
cided upon. p. De IL b